


so dance along to the beat of your heart

by mageofmoonlight



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Light Angst, Old Writing, Written Pre Seasons 2 and 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 19:13:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21166547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mageofmoonlight/pseuds/mageofmoonlight
Summary: Ladybug knows her cat well enough to know when something’s wrong. On most days, Chat Noir is punny (though she’d loathe to admit it; her puns are far superior), loud, and fearless. On some days, however, he’s quiet and restrained. His usual kindness always peeks through, but Ladybug gets the feeling that when he’s not dressed as a cat superhero, he’s more like that second person.She’s not quite sure how to feel about that.





	so dance along to the beat of your heart

**Author's Note:**

> another old fic! past red didn't have much to say about this one, so i'll just let you read. comments are always appreciated, no matter how old the work. thanks for reading! <3

Ladybug knows her cat well enough to know when something’s wrong. On most days, Chat Noir is punny (though she’d loathe to admit it; her puns are far superior), loud, and fearless. On some days, however, he’s quiet and restrained. His usual kindness always peeks through, but Ladybug gets the feeling that when he’s not dressed as a cat superhero, he’s more like that second person.

She’s not quite sure how to feel about that.

Today, it’s quite clear that he’s feeling off. Ladybug has cracked numerous puns, but they haven’t gotten a reaction out of him yet. She’s not even quite sure he noticed her make them. Even when an akuma attacked and broke through their mostly peaceful lives, he didn’t have quite the usual amount of boundless energy. Instead, he seemed almost _relieved _to be called away from his life.

No one should be relieved to fight a supervillain. And so Ladybug has worried. She called a patrol after the akuma, and now here they stand, Ladybug upright and confident, and Chat Noir hunched over and closed in.

There’s something seriously wrong with this picture, but Ladybug isn’t sure what to do.

She doesn’t ask him why he’s feeling this way. As interested as he is in getting to know her, she has a feeling that he might feel a little awkward about his own private life being pressed into. Instead, he stares at her with troubled eyes, as Ladybug struggles to think of what to say.

And then, she gets it.

“Wanna dance?”

Chat looks up at her. “Dance, my lady?” he asks.

“Yeah.” Ladybug squats down beside him. “Dance. Do you want to?”

He smiles, though Ladybug can tell it’s half-hearted. “But there’s no music.”

“So?” Ladybug shrugs. “That’s never bothered you, has it?” She holds her hand out.

“No…” Chat says slowly. He stands up and takes her hand. “All right,” he agrees. “Let’s dance.”

Ladybug beams at him, and he smiles uncertainly back. At first they sway a little, just side to side, to a silent melody. It’s a little awkward, but that’s okay.

She twirls, suddenly, and leaps across to another rooftop. Chat Noir follows her, and they’re bounding through the skies, twisting, twirling, laughing.

They don’t need music. All they need is each other’s company.

Ladybug leans on Chat’s shoulder as they stop. “Thanks, _chaton, _” she says. She stands on her toes to ruffle his hair.

His eyes widen comically in surprise. “For what?”

“For the dance.” She slides her arm down to sling over his shoulder.

“No,” he says softly as they sit down. “Thank you, my lady.”

Ladybug doesn’t say anything. She knows that if she does, he’ll stop talking.

“Today was… rough,” he admits. “My dad is a bit overprotective, I guess? And my best friend and I were talking today, and he pointed out something I hadn’t really wanted to think about.”

“I know what you mean,” Ladybug says, once it’s clear he’s done talking. “My best friend’s boyfriend was fighting with his best friend today. I’m not quite sure what about, but I’m really worried for his friend. His dad’s like yours, I suppose. He’s really controlling, and my friend has done so much for him without complaint. Everyone has a breaking point, and everyone’s been really worried about where his might be.”

Chat Noir raises an eyebrow under the mask. “Worried about seeing your friend akumatized?”

“No,” she says. “I’m worried about seeing him hurt. I mean, I guess part of me already knew he was hurting, but I hadn’t wanted to admit it. I was a little too blinded by my crush, I suppose.”

“Your crush?”

Ladybug’s sure her cheeks are red, but she doesn’t linger on the subject. “Yeah. I just… I hope he’s okay,” she sighs.

Chat smiles softly. “I don’t know about him, but spending time with you surely helps me. I’m sure you’ve helped more than you know.”

“I sure hope so.” She leans her cheek on her fist. “I’m not even sure we’re friends, really. I’m always far too tongue-tied around him. Even if we are friends, he doesn’t know the real me. Not like you do.”

“Do you usually act the same in your civilian life as you do as Ladybug?” Chat asks her.

She shrugs. “Yeah, I’d say so. I mean, I’m a little more forceful and heroic as Ladybug, and some of my clumsiness goes away, but I’m still me, you know? Still the same person as I am in ordinary life. Aren’t you?”

He considers it. “I don’t act the same, no.”

“But you’re the same person.” Ladybug leans her head on his shoulder. “Enough about my crush. I’m here to be ranted to, Chat. If you need to get something out, then bring it on. But if you need to pretend the problem doesn’t exist with someone, well, then I’m here for that, too.”

He smiles. “Thanks, LB,” he says. “For being there. And thank you for the dance.”

“I’ll always be there, _minou _,” she says. “I promise. And, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I’m probably the best partner you could ask for!”

“Yeah,” he agrees. “You are. You’re my best friend. And… I think I’d like to talk some.”

“All right,” Ladybug says. “I’m all ears. Not literally, but you know what I mean.”

She watches as his hands fiddle in his lap. “Like I said, my dad’s overprotective. And controlling. And today, my best friend told me that I do too much for him. That I let him walk all over me too much.” He spreads out his arms. “Can’t you see it? The great superhero Chat Noir, trampled upon by one rich civilian.” He pauses, biting his lip. “...Forget that last part. Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Ladybug says, although that has significantly narrowed down possibilities for his identity… She pushes the thought away. “Go on.”

“Yeah.” He leans back slightly. “I just wish my dad would notice me, you know? As controlling as he is, and as much as I do for him, he still doesn’t really seem to notice. Sometimes he’ll see the stuff I do wrong, sure, and then I’m terrified of what will happen when he finds out. And I know it’s ridiculous, and that if I make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world, but sometimes it feels like it is. Sometimes it feels like I have to do these things I do for him, and maybe I do? But it’s always been for him, and not once for him has it been for me.” He shuffles uncomfortably. “That’s kind of what my be- my other best friend was saying. And it’s something I’ve kind of been avoiding thinking about and… it’s hard.”

“I can’t imagine,” Ladybug says softly, “having all that pressure put on you. I do it to myself, sure, and I bet most everyone does, but sometimes, that high standard can be hard to live up to. But you know what, kitty?” She squeezes his shoulder. “You’re enough for me.”

And Ladybug and Chat Noir sit there, alone on their quiet rooftop that’s just for them, together against the world.


End file.
